The massive swarm gathered on a tree inside a courtyard at 260 Herkimer St., near Brooklyn Avenue, around 10 a.m. forcing emergency responders to cordon off the area.

But that didn’t keep curious residents from examining the insects — snapping photos but keeping their distance.

"I told the kids not to play around it," said David Johnson, 28, a dad who’s lived in the building his whole life and said he first noticed the bees three days ago. "I think kids know better than that."

Another longtime resident said she researched hiring a beekeeper to corral the insects but stopped short when she saw the price.

"I went on the Internet and [a beekeeper] cost about $300," said the tenant, who didn’t provide her name. "So I said, they're alright where they are."

An NYPD bee specialist eventually came and removed 3 pounds of bees — or about 9,000 of the insects — with a vacuum, he explained.

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